Yuletide of the Ancients

By Mary P. Pringle and Clara A. Urann.

"There in the Temple, carved in wood,
The image of great Odin stood,
And other gods, with Thor supreme among them."

As early as two thousand years before Christ Yule-tide was celebrated
by the Aryans. They were sun-worshipers and believed the sun was born
each morning, rode across the upper world, and sank into his grave at
night.

Day after day, as the sun's power diminished, these primitive people
feared that he would eventually be overcome by darkness and forced to
remain in the under world.

When, therefore, after many months, he apparently wheeled about and
grew stronger and stronger, they felt that he had been born again. So it
came about that at Hweolor-tid, "the turning-time,"
there was great rejoicing at the annual re-birth of the sun.

In the myths and legends of these, our Indo-European ancestors, we
find the origin of many of the Yule-tide customs now in vogue.

According to the Younger Edda, Wodin or Odin, the pioneer of the
North, a descendant of Saturn, fled out of Asia. Going through Russia to
Saxland (Germany), he conquered that country and left one of his sons as
ruler. Then he visited Frankland, Jutland, Sweden, and Norway and
established each one of his many sons on a throne.

This pioneer traveler figures under nearly two hundred different
names, and so it is difficult to follow him in his wanderings. As Wodin,
he established throughout the northern nations many of the observances
and customs common to the people of the Northland to-day.

The Edda gives an ancient account of Balder, the sun-god, who was
slain because of the jealousy of Loki (fire). Loki knew that everything
in nature except the mistletoe had promised not to injure the great god
Balder. So he searched for the mistletoe until he found it growing on an
oak-tree "on the eastern slope of Valhalla." He cut it off and returned
to the place where the gods were amusing themselves by using Balder as a
target, hurling stones and darts, and trying to strike him with their
battle-axes. But all these weapons were harmless. Then Loki, giving the
twig of mistletoe to the blind god, Höder, directed his hand and induced
him to throw it. When the mistletoe struck Balder it pierced him through
and through and he fell lifeless.

"So on the floor lay Balder dead; and round
Lay thickly strewn swords, axes, darts, and spears,
Which all the Gods in sport had idly thrown
At Balder, whom no weapon pierced or clove;
But in his breast stood fixt the fatal bough
Of mistletoe, which Lok the Accuser gave
To Höder, and unwitting Höder threw—
'Gainst that alone had Balder's life no charm."

Great excitement prevailed among the assembled gods and goddesses
when Balder was struck dead and sank into Hel,
and they would have slain the god of darkness had it not occurred during
their peace-stead, which was never to be desecrated by deeds of
violence. The season was supposed to be one of peace on earth and
good-will to man. This is generally attributed to the injunction of the
angels who sang at the birth of Christ, but according to a much older
story the idea of peace and good-will at Yule-tide was taught centuries
before Christ.

According to the Edda, gifts from the gods and goddesses were laid on
Balder's bier and he, in turn, sent gifts back from the realm of
darkness into which he had fallen. However, it probably is from the
Roman Saturnalia that the free exchange of presents and the spirit of
revelry have been derived.

The Druids held the mistletoe in great reverence because of its
mysterious birth. When the first new growth was discovered it was
gathered by the white-robed priests, who cut it from the main bough with
a golden sickle never used for any other purpose.

The food peculiar to this season of rejoicing has retained many
features of the feasting recorded among the earlier people. The boar
made his appearance in mythological circles when one was offered as a
gift to Frey, god of rain, sunshine, and the fruits of the earth. This
boar was a remarkable animal; he could run faster than a horse, through
the air and over water. Darkness could not overtake him, for he was
symbolical of the sun, his golden bristles typifying the sun's rays.

At one time the boar was believed to be emblematical of golden grain,
as he was the first to teach mankind the art of plowing. Because of this
service he was most revered by our mythological ancestors.

In an account of a feast given in Valhalla to the dead heroes of many
battles, Saehrimnir, a sacred boar, was served. Huge pieces were
apportioned to the deceased heroes and the meat had such a revivifying
effect that, restored to life, they called for arms and began to fight
their battles over again.

An abundance of heavenly mead made from goats' milk and honey was
provided for the feasts and on occasions ale, too, was served.

Toasts were usually drunk in honor of Bragi, god of poetry,
eloquence, and song. The gods pledged themselves to perform remarkable
deeds of courage and valor as they tossed off horn after horn of mead
and ale. Each time their mighty valor grew until there was no limit set
to their attainments. It is possible that their boastful pledges may
have given rise to the term, to brag.

Apples were the favorite fruit, as they prevented the approach of age
and kept the gods and goddesses perpetually young and vigorous.

Certainly Yule-tide was a very merry season among the ancient people
who feasted, drank, and danced in honor of the return of the sun, the
god of light and new life.

When messengers went through the various countries bearing tidings of
a new religion and of the birth of a Son who brought light and new life
into the whole world, they endeavored to retain as many of the
established customs as possible, but gave to the old-time festivals a
finer character and significance.

As the fact of Christ's birth was not recorded and there was no
certainty as to its date, the early Christian Fathers very wisely
ascribed it to Yule-tide, changing the occasion from the birthday of the
sun to that of the Son. For a while the birth of Christ was celebrated
on dates varying from the first to the sixth of January; on the dates of
certain religious festivals such as the Jewish Passover or the Feast of
Tabernacles; but the twenty-fifth of December, the birthday of the sun,
was ever the favorite date.

Pope Julius, who reigned from 337 to 352 A. D., after a careful
investigation, considered it settled beyond doubt that Christ was born
on or about the twenty-fifth of December, and by the end of the fifth
century that date was very generally accepted by Christians. The
transition from the old to the new significance of Yule-tide was brought
about so quietly and naturally that it made no great impression on the
mind of the masses, so nothing authentic can be learned of the early
observance of Christmas.

The holly, laurel, mistletoe, and other greens used by the Druids
still served as decorations of the season, not as a shelter for fairies,
as in former days, but as emblems of resurrection and of immortal hope.

The glorious luminary of day, whether known as Balder, Baal, Sol, or
any other of the innumerable names by which it was called by the
primitive peoples, still gladdens the hearts of mortals at Yule-tide by
"turning-back" as of old; only to-day it yields its place to a Superior
Power, in whose honor Yule-tide is observed.

All Christendom owes a debt of gratitude to its pagan forbears for
the pleasant features of many of its holidays and especially for those
of Yule-tide. The Fathers of the early church showed rare wisdom in
retaining the customs of these ante-Christian festivals, imbuing them
with the spirit of the new faith and making them emblematic of a purer
love and hope.

New Year's Day as a feast day is one of the oldest, if not the
oldest, on record. It is mentioned by Tacitus in the First Century, but
first referred to as a Christian festival about the year 567.

In Rome the day was dedicated by Numa to the honor of god Janus, for
whom Julius Cæsar named the month of January. Numa ordained that it
should be observed as a day of good-humor and good-fellowship. All
grudges and hard feelings were to be forgotten. Sacrifices of cake,
wine, and incense were to be made to the two-faced god who looked
forward and backward. Men of letters, mechanics, and others were
expected to give to the god the best they had to offer of their
respective arts. It was the great occasion of the entire year, as it is
now in many countries.

The date of New Year's Day has varied among different nations. Among
the Egyptians, Chinese, Jews, and Romans it has been observed on dates
varying from March first to December twenty-fifth. It was as late as the
Sixteenth Century before the date of January first was universally
accepted as the New Year by the Romans. Nations retaining the Gregorian
calendar, such as Russia and Greece, observe it thirteen days later than
those who reckon time by the Julian calendar.

Among northern nations the love of fire and light originated the
custom of kindling bonfires to burn out the old year and destroy all
evil connected with its past. Light has long been an expression of joy
and gladness among all branches of the Aryan race.

The Greek and Latin Churches still term Christmas the "Feast of
Lights," and make it a period of brilliancy in Church and home. The
Protestant covers the Christmas tree with lighted candles and builds a
glowing fire on the hearth. The innate love of light and warmth—the
inheritance from the sun-worshipers of ages past—is always dominant in
humanity at Yule-tide festivals.

"The King of Light, father of aged Time,

Hath brought about that day which is the prime,

To the slow-gliding months, when every eye

Wears symptoms of a sober jollity,

And every hand is ready to present

Some service in a real compliment."

King
Olaf's Christmas.
The King that gave Christianity to Norway.

KING OLAF'S CHRISTMAS

At Drontheim, Olaf the King
Heard the bells of Yule-tide ring,As he sat in his banquet-hall,Drinking the nut-brown ale,
With his bearded Berserks haleAnd tall.

Three days his Yule-tide feasts
He held with Bishops and Priests,And his horn filled up to the brim;But the ale was never too strong,
Nor the Saga-man's tale too long,For him.

O'er his drinking-horn, the sign
He made of the cross divine,As he drank, and muttered his prayers;But the Berserks evermore
Made the sign of the Hammer of ThorOver theirs.

The gleams of the firelight dance
Upon helmet and haubert and lance,And laugh in the eyes of the King;And he cries to Halfred the Scald,
Gray-bearded, wrinkled, and bald,"Sing!"

"Sing me a song divine,
With a sword in every line,And this shall be thy reward."And he loosened the belt at his waist,
And in front of the singer placedHis sword.

"Quern-bitter of Hakon the Good,
Wherewith at a stroke he hewedThe millstone through and through,And Foot-breadth of Thoralf the Strong,
Were neither so broad nor so long,Nor so true."

Then the Scald took his harp and sang,
And loud through the music rangThe sound of that shining word;And the harp-strings a clangor made,
As if they were struck with the bladeOf a sword.

And the Berserks round about
Broke forth in a shoutThat made the rafters ring;They smote with their fists on the
board,
And shouted, "Long live the sword,And the King."

But the King said, "O my son,
I miss the bright word in oneOf thy measures and thy rhymes."And Halfred the Scald replied,
"In another 't was multipliedThree times."

Then King Olaf raised the hilt
Of iron, cross-shaped and gilt,And said, "Do not refuse;Count well the gain and the loss,
Thor's hammer or Christ's cross:Choose!"

And Halfred the Scald said, "This
In the name of the Lord I kiss,Who on it was crucified!"And a shout went round the board,
"In the name of Christ the Lord,Who died!"

Then over the waste of snows
The noonday sun uprose,Through the driving mists revealed,Like the lifting of the Host,
By incense-clouds almostConcealed.

On the shining wall a vast
And shadowy cross was castFrom the hilt of the lifted sword,And in the foaming cups of ale
The Berserks drank "Was-hael!To the Lord!"

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